Khrenovina

It is one Siberian and Ural sauce under different folk names. Khrenovina and khrenodyor come from khren (horseradish); gorloder, ogonyok, and cobra refer to its burning heat. The make-up is essentially the same.

Chill the root for 1 to 2 hours, grind it in a ventilated spot, tie a bag over the grinder spout, or keep a tight lid on the blender and do not open it at once. This is the sharpest step.

Not essential. Peeled (blanched and chilled) gives a smoother sauce; with skins it is quicker and coarser. Drain watery tomatoes first.

Treat it as a fresh raw sauce: in a clean, tightly closed jar in the fridge, use it within a week. Horseradish and garlic make it sharp, but they do not turn raw tomatoes into a preserve, and a sterilised jar does not sterilise what goes into it. For longer storage, freeze it in small jars or portions and thaw in the fridge; the heat fades a little after freezing. Shelf-stable khrenovina needs a tested canning recipe with added acid, which this one is not.

Classically with pelmeni, meat, fish, and aspic; spread on black bread; with potatoes and grains. A spoonful goes into borscht or alongside plov.